diff --git a/Documentation/git-sh-setup.txt b/Documentation/git-sh-setup.txt
index 053df505bc..27fd8ba854 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-sh-setup.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-sh-setup.txt
@@ -58,9 +58,14 @@ cd_to_toplevel::
 	runs chdir to the toplevel of the working tree.
 
 require_work_tree::
-	checks if the repository is a bare repository, and dies
-	if so.  Used by scripts that require working tree
-	(e.g. `checkout`).
+	checks if the current directory is within the working tree
+	of the repository, and otherwise dies.
+
+require_work_tree_exists::
+	checks if the working tree associated with the repository
+	exists, and otherwise dies.  Often done before calling
+	cd_to_toplevel, which is impossible to do if there is no
+	working tree.
 
 get_author_ident_from_commit::
 	outputs code for use with eval to set the GIT_AUTHOR_NAME,
diff --git a/git-sh-setup.sh b/git-sh-setup.sh
index aa16b83565..94e26ed5e8 100644
--- a/git-sh-setup.sh
+++ b/git-sh-setup.sh
@@ -140,6 +140,13 @@ cd_to_toplevel () {
 	}
 }
 
+require_work_tree_exists () {
+	if test "z$(git rev-parse --is-bare-repository)" != zfalse
+	then
+		die "fatal: $0 cannot be used without a working tree."
+	fi
+}
+
 require_work_tree () {
 	test "$(git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree 2>/dev/null)" = true ||
 	die "fatal: $0 cannot be used without a working tree."